Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-04-28
Work for Apr;l.

This is one of the very busiest months
of the year for poultry breeders. The
season of cleaning and getting ready for
business has passed, and if not already
done must be delayed now, as the incom
ing crops of chicks demand immediate
and constant attention. The setting
hens-for use of setting hens cannot be
gotten rid of entirely, even though there
are so many good incubators on the mar
ket just nOw-must be looked after, and
care be taken to see that the eggs do not
get too dry, if the nests are raised too far
above the floors of the poultry house. It
is an old fashioned though very good
plan to give the eggs a good sprinkling
of tepid water once or twice before hatch
ing, say a few days before they are due
to hatch. There is no danger Of injury
and every reason why it should be bene-
fetal. If sod has been placed in the
bottom of the nesting box before the
nest has been made, considerable of the
needed moisture will be evolved by the
continued heat emanating from the body
of the setting hen. In the case Of incu-
bators and incubator Matched chicks much
attention is needed, and it must be con-
slant, or no matter how good an incuba'
tor you may have or how nearly self
re yulating it may be, it is just as well to
look after it Just q little, and may be
found to pay to do so. And to the little
chicks, all who have had experience with
Machine Chicks know that it is not very
difficult to hatch the chicks, but the trOu-
BILE comes in after that time. The greatest
mortality by far occurs with young chicks
between the time of Matching and until
the young birds put on full dress of
feathers, after which time there is not
much difficulty in rearing the young poul-
try; and artifcially Matched ones have
not the same chances of getting through
as have those Matched under and cared
for by the mother hen. The broOders
are designed to take the place of the hen
which they do very fairly, and, perhaps,
if a strict account was kept with the poul-
try handled in each way, from the time
the eggs were put to hatch until the
chicks were half grown, there would be,
no doubt, but little difference in the re-
suits.
Very often March laid eggs make in
different matches, and the same may be
said of eggs laid early this month when
| the weather has generally ruled inclement
and cold, and the breeding poultry has
not been well housed or cared for. The
remedy for this naturally suggests itself
to any thoughtful breeder. The same re-
suits may come from having an impotent
cock or cockerel, or in having him with
too many hens or pullets, thus too great
ly dividing his attentions and strength.
A constitutional want of vigor is equally
bad and must be guarded against.
Where the mother hens and their broOds
are kept out on the lawn, when the chicks
| are very young they must be protected
| from becoming wet or drowned by the
sudden and often heavy showers which
are in season throughout this month. 1t
| is well to have canvass or light board
covers handy, so they can be used over
the runs and coops at moments notice.
| Movable coops will be found more de-
sirable and will raise larger percentage
of strong, healthy chicks than will sta
| tionary ones, where the hen and chicks
must tramp over and foul the same piece
/ time and again, instead Of having fresh
soil and fresh and tender grass whenever
| they need it.
| As cats are fond of young chicks 1t Is
as well to watch out for them, and while
rats claim a larger share of "the lost
and missing" little chicks, they are fre-
quently blamed for the sly and steaitby
cats. Watch them closely, and If you see
them on ''still hunt" treat them to a
dose of shot without questioning who
the cat belongs to-fnd out Gftel'acGres7 II
necessary Poultry Bulletin.